Nursing Fundamentals

mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP · Aug 16, 2005

We have a Nursing Fund book similar in size that it is actually used the entire program, so it's not just one class per se that uses that book, every nursing class we have for 2 years uses that book at some point and time. Some classes we use 10 chapters, some classes we only use 1 or 2 chapters. We also have a Med/Surg book that is used the same way as well as a Mat/Child book.

MissJoRN, RN · Aug 16, 2005

Your Fundies book and your MedSurg book will pretty much be used together throughout your program...until they slip that Pathology book in towards the end and you're done with fundies. The Fundies are the basic "rote mechanics" of nursing- all the skills that I know you're really looking forward to! Everything from how to make a bed and empty a catheter bag to how to give injections and insert naso-gastric (NG) feeding or draining tubes. Some basic theories are inlcuded here, too- infection control, critical thinking, effective communication, etc. Those are all very important skills, too! Your MedSurg book will inlude the "whats, whys, and how to take care ofs" of various disease processes your patients will have.

So, say you're taking care of a pt who had her gall bladder taken out. She has a tube draining excess bile from her stomach (salem sump/NG tube). She needs pain meds injected, and she gets an IV antibiotic. I bet you're going to look up how to care for the tube, how to give injections, change dressings, and how to hang IV meds in your Fundies book and you're going to read all about gall bladder inflammation, the sypmtoms, post op care, and discharge teaching like dietary needs in your Med Surg book.

Good Luck! Remember, most of the time it's fun!